sinking feeling
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A sudden, unpleasant sensation of dread, disappointment, or foreboding, often felt physically in the stomach or chest. It is the emotional and physical response to receiving bad news or anticipating a negative outcome.
Usage
This noun phrase is used to describe the specific, visceral feeling of anxiety or despair that accompanies a realization of impending trouble or failure. It is almost always preceded by the indefinite article "a" (a sinking feeling).
Examples
- I had a sinking feeling when I saw the police car pull into my driveway.
- As the final exam grades were posted, a sinking feeling came over me.
- She got a sinking feeling in her stomach when she realized she had left her passport at home.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can be intensified with descriptors like "dreadful," "terrible," or "sudden."
- A dreadful sinking feeling told him the deal was about to fall through.
- It is often followed by a clause beginning with "that" to specify the cause of the apprehension.
- I had a sinking feeling that I had made a terrible mistake.
Variants and Related Words
- Sinking heart: A very closely related idiom with an identical meaning, focusing more on the emotional than physical sensation.
- With a sinking heart, she opened the overdue bill.
Synonyms
- Sense of dread
- Foreboding
- Apprehension
- Premonition
Related Idioms
- A knot in one's stomach: Describes a similar physical sensation of anxiety or tension.
- One's heart sank: A verbal idiom expressing the same emotional reaction.
- My heart sank when I heard the news.
Noun
- a feeling caused by uneasiness or apprehension
- with a sinking heart
- a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach